Consecrated to the Heart of the Redeemer under the patronage of the Theotokos and Fr. Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.

12 January 2014

This Word is on Fire

I suspect that many people--more, as time goes on--are accessing religious and spiritual content online.

As is the case for all online material (good and evil), one can seek it here in comfort and privacy; here one can listen to it, weigh it, filter it with one's previous understanding and preconceived notions, and dismiss it, lest it disturb and foment personal change.

Of course, one also can learn and grow. That is, at heart, the fundamental desire of the seeker, no matter how much we may resist.

The Catholic Church, as a long-time purveyor of wisdom and truth, is sore indebted to Father Robert E. Barron, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, who has a terrific thing going with the Word On Fire enterprise. I first became aware of Fr. Barron through his Catholicism video series a couple of years ago. He has since released a sequel, Catholicism: The New Evangelization. The latter term is what it's all about, according to Bl. John Paul II, with the generous agreement of his successors. The time is ripe for the sowing of the Good News of Jesus Christ, now as ever; but the Church cannot rely on older methods to accomplish this. Because the Internet is the place to be, the Internet is the place to evangelize, particularly on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and dozens of others that pop up when you press the "Share This!" button on an article or photo.

By order of his Ordinary, Cardinal George, Fr. Barron has been devoting his entire priestly ministry to the New Evangelization through "Word On Fire." If you become a regular listener, doubtless you will begin to pick up on some of his favorite words and phrases. That happens with any standing commitment or relationship; and the extent to which you are not deterred by that is the extent of your maturity.

Here is a link to Father Robert Barron's most recent homily, for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Enjoy it, and pass it on (by way of this blog, if you would; it may help me improve).